Dental separator and tooth-holder.



No! 791,859. v PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905.

"E. 1). BARNES. DENTAL SEPARATOR AND TOOTH HOLDER.

' APPLIGATION IILEDIIIB. 1, 1906.

I/Vl/E/VTOR ELIAS D.BARNE$ ATTORNEYS w/ mess 8.-

. UNITED STATES Patented June 6, 1965.

PATENT OFFICE.

DENTAL SEPARATOR AND TOOTH-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,859, dated June 6,1905.

Application filed February 1, 1905. Serial No. 243,646-

To all whom it may concern.-

in the county of Halifax and State of North.

Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement 1n DentalSeparators and Tooth- Holders, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is in the nature of a combined dental separator,tooth-holder, and mouthprop. It is an instrument to be used by dent-istsfor getting space between the natural teeth for facilitating access tocavities between the teeth when filling the same and to give access forpolishing or making examinations and which device is also designed to beso held upon the teeth as to prevent the separatorclaws from pressing onthe gums and which device also serves as a prop between the upper andlower teeth to hold the mouth open.

My invention consists in the novel construc- 1 tion and arrangement ofthe device, which 1 s will now proceed to describe with reference to thedrawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device shownapplied to the lower set of teeth. Fig. 1 is a detail illustrating thewedge action in separating two adjacentteeth. Fig. 2 is averticalsection taken transversely to the row of teeth, showing the rest-bar andwinding-key oifset to one side. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig.2, showing the rest-bar in place and holding the jaws apart as amouth-prop. Fig. 4 represents details of one of the prongholders, andFig. 5 shows a prong-holder with a mirror attachment as used foroperating on the teeth of the upper jaw.

In the drawings, A A represent twoprongholders, which are short uprightpillars having square sockets in their lower ends, in which areadjustably seated the square and vertically-adjustable shanks of theprongs a at.

These prongs are bent twice at right angles at their lower ends, andtheir points are made wedge-shaped, as seen in Fig. 1, and whichwedge-points are arranged to be advanced toward each other between twoadjacent teeth, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. l, to Wedge apart thetwo adjacent teeth to increase the space between the same. Thisadjustment of the two prongs to or from each other is effected by anadjustment of the prong-holders to or from each other by means of ascrew-shaft B, Fig. 2. This screw-shaft passes through transverse holesin the enlarged upper ends of the prong-holders, and one of these holesin holder A is screw-threaded to mesh with the threads of thescrew-shaft, while a collar 6 on the other end of the screw-shaft bearsagainst the outer side of the other prong-holder A. A squared end I) onthe screw-shaft is adapted to be seated in the square socket of athumbwrench or key B, by which the shaft B may be turned.

Projecting laterally from one of the prongholders A is a guide-pin c,which is'rigidly attached to the prong-hold er and passes loosely seenin Fig. 2, in a position parallel to the screw. This guide-pin holds andguides the prong-holders in their adjustment and also helps tosupportthe tooth-holder C. This tooth-holder is pierced with holes to receivethe pin 0 and the screw B. At its lower end the tooth-holder isscrew-threaded and eningly-grooved platen E, which rests on the crown ofthe teeth. Ascrew-nut e is arranged on the shank of the tooth-holder andisrar ranged to be turned down to force the platen E against the teeth,thus making the toothholder vertically adjustable. The dovetail slidingblock eis made adjustablein the groove of the platen E, so that thelatter may be slipped lengthwise to change its position in relation tothe teeth to give more or less room in gaining access to the cavitiesbetween the teeth.

The upper ends of the prong-holders are recessed at r 1' upon oppositesides, as seen in Fig. 4, and on these upper ends there slides a rest orpressure-block D. having on top of the same a cushion d, of soft rubberor other similar material, which forms a rest or bearing for the teethof the jaw opposite the one being operated on. The presser-block D hasan undercut groove fitting the recesses r 7' on the tops of theprong-holders, so that the tered into a dovetail slide 6 in acorrespondthrough-a hole in the other prong-holder, as

parts are securely but detachably held together.

The tooth-holder C is arranged between the two prong-holders A and A,and it has in connection with the platen E several important functions,as follows: In the first place when the wedge-shaped prongs a a areforced together between two adjacent teeth the unrestrained tendency ofthese wedges would be to crowd toward and against the gums on account ofthe taper of the teeth, and this under the powerful action of the screwwould involve an excessive and intolerable pain. It therefore becomesnecessary to prevent these wedge prongs from crowding against the gums,and this is one of the leading functions of the tooth-holder, for itwill be seen from Fig. 2 that it prevents the prongs from approachingthe gums. To regulate the approach to the gums for different teeth, thescrew-nut is supplied, which by being turned on the screw-threaded shankof the holder will force the platen E up or down, and thus regulate theapproach of the prongs to the gum. Another function of the tooth-holderis to hold the tooth to its deflected position in connection with theprongs, and astill further function is to form the bottom bearing forthe device on the teeth, and thus form a prop in connection with thepresser-block D to hold the jaws apart and relieve the strain on thepatient required in holding the jaws open, as Well as preventing anyinvoluntary closing of the jaws of the patient and the consequentinterference with the dentists work at a critical period. Theprong-holders and screw, it will be seen, form a body-frame upon whichare carried the upper and lower bearing-surfaces. Another very importantfunction of this tooth-holder is when the teeth are separated and are tobe filled with gold this holder can be adjusted so as to hold the toothas though it were in a vise by means of a rubber cushion pressingagainst said tooth to relieve the patient of that unpleasant and painfulsensation caused by malleting, use of sandpaper disk, and strips, ofwhich so many patients complain. The shanks of the wedge-prongs are madevertically adjustable in the holders to suit the mouth of the patient,and this adjustment is fixed by means of set-screws s.

' When the upper jaw is being operated upon, the device is inverted, asseen in Fig. 5, and to aid the dentist in this position in inspectingthe work the prong-holders are formed on the side with a little socketm, into which is detachably screwed the shank m of a small mirror M,which will give a reflection in the direction of the dotted arrow. Topermit variation in the position and angle of the mirror, its shank ismade of some easily-flexilole material.

In defining my invention with greater clearness I would state that 1 amaware that dental separators have heretofore been devised in whichwedge-shaped prongs or claws were forced between the teeth by the actionof a screw, and I do not claim this broadly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A dental separator, comprising separating-prongs, means forseparating the teeth thereby, and a frame carrying the same havingbearing-surfaces for both the upper and lower jaw substantially asdescribed.

2. A dental separator, comprising separating-prongs, means forseparating the teeth thereby, a frame carrying the same, bearingsurfacesfor both the upper and lower jaw and means for adjusting thesebearing-surfaces to or from each other substantially as described.

3. A dental separator, comprising separating-prongs, means forseparating the teeth thereby, a frame carrying the same, bearingsurfacesfor both the upper and lower jaw and means for adjusting one of thesebearing-surfaces laterally along the teeth substantially as described.

4. A dental separator, comprising separator-prongs bent twice at rightangles, parallel upright holders for the prongs, an adjustingscrewpassing transversely through the prongholders and a guide-bar extendingfrom one holder to the other in position parallel to the screwsubstantially as described.

5. A dental separator, comprising separator-prongs bent twice at rightangles, parallel upright holders for the shanks of the prongs, means foradjusting the shanks of the prongs in the holders, and a screw extendingtransversely through the holders substantially as described.

6. A dental separator, comprising separator-prongs, upright holders forthe prongs, a screw extending transversely through the holders, and asupport upon the teeth for holding the prongs away from the gum, saidsupport being located between the prong-holders and inclosing the screwsubstantially as described.

7. A dental separator, comprising separator-prongs, upright holders forthe prongs, a

screw extending transversely to the holders,

a support upon the teeth for holding the prongs away from the jaws andmeans for adjusting the support to or from the teeth as described.

8. A dental separator, comprising separating-prongs, upright holders forthe prongs, a screw extending transversely to the holders, a guide-bararranged parallel to the screw and a support upon the teeth arrangedbetween the prong-holders and held upon the screw and guidesubstantially as described.

9. A dental separator, comprising separator-prongs, uprightprong-holders, means for adjusting the holders to or from each other,and a pressure-bar arranged upon the opposite end of the prong-holdersfrom the prongs and an oppositely-actingbearing substantially I as andfor the purpose described.

10. An adjustable mouth prop carrying separator-prongs substantially asdescribed.

11. A dental separator, comprising separator-prongs, uprightholders forthe prongs having recessed ends, a detachable pressurebar inclosing therecessed ends, a screw extending transversely through the holders, aguide-bar arranged parallel to-the screw, and a tooth-holder and supportlocated between the prong-holders and loosely connected to the screw andguide, and an adjustable platen arranged on the end of the saidtooth-holder substantially as described.

12. A dental separator, comprising separator-prongs,-upright holders forthe prongs with means for adjusting the same to or from each other, anda detachable mirror with means for connecting it to the prong-holdersubstantially as described.

ELIAS D. BARNES.

Witnesses:

JOHN BEAVANS, W. E. BEAVANS.

